Her friends went out the rear door and Jenny walked to the very quiet lobby and stopped at the front desk. "Can you tell me what room Derek James is in?"
"I'm sorry, we can't give that information out, hotel rules," the young man said. "I could ring his room on the phone for you though."
"No, I don't want to wake him, if he's asleep. I thought I could go by his room and only knock if I heard his television on."
"I'm afraid you can't use the elevator without a keycard. It's a security procedure that the hotel has."
She smiled. "Thank you." Jenny left the hotel and fell asleep as soon as she got to her friend's house.
The next evening, Jenny nervously got ready for her date. Clothes she rejected to wear were piled high on the bed. Finally, she decided on black slacks and a purple sweater and around her neck, the chef's hat necklace that Derek gave her.
She arrived at his home a little before seven and pushed the doorbell. No answer. She pushed it again and finally Derek opened the door.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I was in the kitchen. Come in. Let me take your coat." He placed her coat on the loveseat by the door.
Jenny didn't think he looked dressed for a dinner out with him wearing jeans and his shirt sleeves rolled up. "I hope I'm not too early."
"You're right on time. Would you like a drink? A glass of wine maybe?"
"I think I'm a little confused. I thought we were going out to dinner tonight."
"I know, but I have a surprise for you. Come with me." He led her into the dining room where two places were set on the table with lit candles. "I'm cooking dinner for you."
Jenny chuckled. "When did you learn to cook?"
He walked over and held the chair out for her. "Recently. Ever since I met you, I've been reading about cooking, and practicing. Wine?" He held up a bottle.
"Yes, please."
He poured them each a glass of white wine. "Tonight, I wanted to do something special for you, so I made dinner."
"I'm very honored. What are we having, Chef James?"
"Chef James. I rather like that." He placed a folded towel over his forearm. "Tonight Madame, we will start off with a tossed salad drizzled with a vinaigrette dressing, followed by a main course of Fettuccini Alfredo, and for dessert, pecan pie from the best bakery in town." He then bowed to her.
"Bravo!" she cheered, laughing so hard at his presentation she almost fell out of her chair.
"I hope you feel the same way after you've tasted my cooking." They both laughed.
"Can I help with anything?"
"Absolutely not. I'm serving you tonight." Before he left for the kitchen, he leaned down a kissed her on the cheek.
Jenny had a warm feeling running throughout her body. She felt very happy. Conversation during dinner included his trip to Aspen, her last semester of culinary school, and football. Then, the topic turned to Colleen.
"I have to confess some things to you," he said. "First, I didn't give Colleen that tennis bracelet. She thinks I did, but Ellen bought it with my credit card and gave it to her saying it was from me. I didn't know she had done that, at least not until she walked in on us that day."
She felt a little relieved, but concerned about what else he had to say. "That's good to know, but what else do you have to confess?"
Derek took a deep breath. "I think you should know that I slept with Colleen the night of the art show."
"Oh. I see." Confusion ran through her mind. "You don't have to tell me this. It's none of my business who you've slept with."
"But, it is. I have to explain it to you. It was only once and I didn't mean for it to happen."
She tried to laugh, so not to cry. "It's a little hard to accidentally have sex with someone."
"I was very drunk at the time and I know that's no excuse, but when I saw you at the gallery with Stefano, I became so jealous seeing you with another man."
"Now you know how I feel every time I see you with Colleen."
"You couldn't have felt as bad as me. We went to dinner with Wes and Cynthia and I drank too much. I wanted to get that image of you with him out of my mind. By the time the limo took me home, I couldn't even walk into the house. Colleen had to help me inside and that's when it happened."
"Derek, the meal was wonderful, but I should probably help you clean up the dishes and head home." She stood.
"No. The dishes can wait. Let's go into the living room. Please."
"I suppose I could stay a little longer." She wanted to stay almost as much as she wanted to leave.
He led her into the living room and where another bottle of wine was chilling in a bucket. She sat down on the couch and he turned on some soft music and put two pieces of wood on the fire in the fireplace. Once the fire caught up, he dimmed the lights, poured them each a glass of wine, and sat next to her.
He took her hand into his and looked into her eyes. "I can't think of a better way to spend an evening than with you." He leaned over and kissed her.
"I'm sure there are a lot more things better than spending time with me."
"Name one."
"What about Aspen? I bet your time in Aspen was more fun."
He looked down at his knee.
"Well, until you got hurt, that is."
"There wasn't a day while I was gone that I didn't think about you."
"I thought about you every day too."
He kissed her again, long and sensually. "Would you like to dance?" he asked.
"What about your knee?"
"I think if we take it slow, I'll be okay."
They stood and he took her into his arms where they swayed to the music. He kissed her again, this time deeper and with more passion.
She knew she should pull away, but she had wanted this for so long and his kisses were so intoxicating. He held her closer and his tongue slid between her parted lips.
He broke the kiss first. "I wish we could have done this at midnight last night."
"Me too." The image of him with Colleen popped back into her mind.
"I waited for you in the lobby afterward. What happened?"
"I was there, but I saw you with Colleen. I waited as long as I could for her to leave, but had to get back to work."
"I tried my best to get her to leave. I think she stood there and talked for over half hour."
"I didn't want to interrupt."
"I wish you had."
"I don't like her, Derek."
He sort of laughed. "She doesn't like you very well either. I'm going to end everything with her. No matter what the cost."
"Cost? What do you mean?"
"Wes told me she could file a sexual harassment claim against me since she's my employee."
"I see."
Derek pulled her closer again and they danced a little longer, her head against his chest. When the song ended, Derek took her face into his hands and kissed her again and then looked into her eyes. "I want you to stay tonight. I want to make love to you," he said softly.
Jenny thought her knees were going to buckle, but he still held her tight. "I'm sorry, Derek. I can't." She stepped away.
"But, why?" he pleaded.
"You've given me a lot to process tonight. You told me you slept with the woman that I hate and a rival for your affection. Now, you want me to hop into bed with you too? I can't do it. Not yet."
"There's no rivalry. You have my affection. You have me. I'm never going out with her again."
"I can't stay. Not now." She rushed to the door.
"Where are you going? Jenny wait!"
She stopped at the door to put her coat on.
He followed after her. "Please don't leave. We can talk about this."
"Derek, you have the right to sleep with whoever you want. I'm not mad, we had no relationship when you slept with her, but I am hurt." She fought to keep from crying.
"What about Stefano? Have you slept with him?" he demanded to know.
"Stefano? Oh my God, Stefano is gay. You couldn't tell
that when you met him? He goes to culinary school with me."
"What? No, I didn't know and apparently no one else did either by the way Colleen and Cynthia cooed over him. I just assumed you and he…and when I saw him at your house before I left for Aspen, he was hugging you."
"You came by my house?"
"I came to tell you about Colleen and the bracelet, but when I saw you with him..."
"You jumped to the conclusion that I was sleeping with him."
"Yes." He hung his head down.
"I care about you more than I ever have anyone else, but I have to think about all of this before we can go any farther." She opened the door and walked out.
Fettuccini Alfredo
1 – 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened and cubed
3/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk
8 oz. fettuccini, cooked and drained
In a large pot, stir together cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and milk over low heat until smooth. Add fettuccini and toss lightly. Garnish with parsley flakes, if desired and serve hot.
Chapter Eleven
Monday morning, Derek arrived at work early and had a pot of coffee ready when Ellen walked in.
"Good morning, Derek. How's your knee?" She hung up her coat and poured herself some coffee.
"Good morning. It's better every day. Did you order any food for the meeting this morning?"
"Oh no, I forgot. I'll go get something right now."
"No, no need. I'll do it."
"What?" Since when do you shop for food?" She set her coffee on her desk and followed him into his office.
"Since my cook quit a few months ago. Would you reschedule any appointments I have this afternoon and tell Colleen I'd like to see her at three o'clock?"
"I'll take care of it."
"Wes is supposed to be here at two-thirty. Make sure you send him right in."
"I will. Do you want me to attend the meeting this morning with the department heads?"
"Yes, I want you there since you own a portion of the company."
"How bad is it since we lost those contracts?"
"It's pretty bad." He removed his coat from the rack and put it on. "I'm leaving to get the food. Make sure we have plenty of coffee in the conference room."
Derek took a company car and drove to the Sweet Tooth Bakery. He walked in and found Jenny helping a customer. She looked up and then just as quickly looked away.
"Can I get you anything else, Mrs. Watkins?" Jenny asked.
"I'll take a dozen croissants and a dozen of those blueberry muffins. I think that should be everything and don't forget young lady, no labels on the boxes."
"I remember." She boxed up the order, remembering to leave the bakery's labels off of the boxes. She took the money and gave her back the change. "Thank you and come back."
"Oh, I will again next month," Mrs. Watkins said and then went out the door with her goodies.
Derek stepped up to the counter. "No labels?"
"She hosts a card party once a month and wants the other ladies to think she baked everything herself. The funny thing is that all of the other ladies come in here and do the same thing."
He laughed.
"What are you doing here, Derek?"
"I came to purchase sweets for a meeting this morning."
"Oh. What can I get you?"
He walked down along the display case looking over all of the cookies, pastries, pies, and cakes. "I think I'll take a dozen chocolate chip cookies and a dozen peanut butter cookies."
Jenny got two bags and started filling them.
"Where's Mrs. Temple today?"
"Becky? She's gone to make a bank deposit and then to pick up a few things."
"So, we're alone?"
"For now, yes." She put the bags of cookies on the counter. "What else?"
"Have you thought anymore about us?"
"Actually, I've tried not to. How about some muffins? That would be good for a meeting."
"Sure. Give me a dozen."
"What kind?"
"I don't care." He was becoming frustrated. "Why won't you talk to me?"
She placed some blueberry muffins in the first box. "This really isn't the time or place to talk."
"You wouldn't talk at my house, you won't talk here, when is the time to talk, Jenny? Just tell me."
She finished filling the second box and placed both of them next to the bags of cookies. "I don't know. Will this be all?"
Derek let out a deep breath, shaking his head. "Yes, that's all."
Jenny totaled the order and processed his credit card for payment. She handed him his receipt. "Thank you."
He picked up the boxes with the bags sitting on top. "Will you come to my house tonight for dinner? We can talk then."
"I can't. My last semester starts today and I have late classes."
"What about tomorrow night or any other night?"
"I really just need some more time."
He grew even more frustrated and even felt a little anger encroaching. He left without saying something he might regret.
When he returned to his company, he took the sweets to the conference room and found Ellen and Colleen there working on the coffee.
"I brought some cookies and muffins." He sat his load down.
Ellen started to open one of the boxes. "You went to that bakery?"
"Yes, I did. Something wrong with that?"
She looked at Colleen and then back to Derek. "No. There's a gentleman waiting in my office to see you. His name is Michael Pruitt and said he has an appointment, but I didn't find it on your schedule."
"Yes, he does. I should have told you. He will be sitting in on our meeting this morning."
"Who is he, Derek?" Colleen asked.
"You'll find out at the meeting. If you'll excuse me." Derek left and walked down the hallway to his office, finding Pruitt waiting in Ellen's office, as she had said. "Michael, sorry I wasn't here when you arrived."
Pruitt stood and they shook hands. "I'm actually glad you weren't here. Can we go into your office?"
"Certainly." They went into Derek's office and sat down. "I don't understand. Why were you glad I wasn't here?"
"It gave me a chance to observe. Do you realize that your secretary left me alone in her office without locking her computer station, her desk, file cabinets, or your office door? In the fifteen minutes that I was alone, I was in her email and looked through her desk and file cabinets. I could have very easily emailed myself any of the files on her system, and I saw the contract proposals on there, too."
Shocked, Derek didn't know what to say at first. "I had no idea. I would have never thought of something like that."
"There are a few other things I noticed when I walked into the building, but I can include them in my weekly report to you."
A knock at the door interrupted them. Ellen stepped in. "Everyone is in the conference now."
"Thank you. We'll be right there." He looked at Pruitt. "Anything else before we go into the meeting?"
"Nothing right now, but I would like to speak to everyone during the meeting."
"Very well." Derek stood. "Shall we?"
Pruitt followed him into the conference room where Derek indicated for Pruitt to take a seat along the wall. Derek went to the front of the table.
"Thank you all for coming at such short notice. I cut my recent vacation short because I found out that we were under-cut on every bid we submitted before I left."
"Every bid, Derek?" one of the managers asked.
"Every single one, Duncan. This has put us in a very serious situation for the company."
"How serious?" another manager asked.
"Serious enough that if we don't get a new contract soon, we'll have to start a lay-off."
Mumbles filled the room.
"What are we going to do to keep that from happening?" Colleen asked.
"I've brought in a consultant to help us.
" He nodded for Pruitt to stand. "This is Michael Pruitt. He's an efficiency consultant who will be looking for new ways for us to work on less money so we can make even lower bids." Derek motioned for Pruitt to come to the head of the table.
"As Derek said, I'm Michael Pruitt and it will be my job to increase your chances of being awarded your next contract. Starting today, I will be visiting each of your departments to look for ways to improve how you do things so you can do it for less money."
"We're already doing things as inexpensively as possible," Colleen said.
"What department are you with, ma'am?"
"I'm head of Distribution."
Pruitt started walking along the side of the table where Colleen sat. "When I drove up to the plant this morning, I saw four trucks backed up to the loading dock. When are those trucks scheduled to be loaded and out?"
"Later this afternoon. Why?"
"Because the truck engines were running, all four of them."
"It's thirty degrees outside. We can't let the diesel fuel cool down or the engine will be difficult to start, causing loss of time. I'm sure you know that time is money," she emphasized.
"Don't you have the capability to plug the engines in to keep the fuel from coagulating?" Pruitt inquired.
"Yes, but that increases the amount of electricity we use, which costs money."
"Right now the cost of electricity is much cheaper than the cost of fuel. My recommendation would be to shut them down and plug them in."
Colleen did not reply. Derek tried to hold back a smile.
"There are a few other things that I noticed, but I'll discuss those individually with each department head."
Derek stood back up. "Michael will be working with each department. I expect you to give him full access to whatever he wants. In the meantime, you all received an email from me this morning about another contract we're bidding on. Start working on that to get your cost as low as possible. Thank you."
The meeting broke up and everyone left except for Derek and Pruitt. "I'd like to start with the I.T. Department," Pruitt said.
"I'll show you the way." Derek walked out first with Pruitt following.
A little before two-thirty, Wes walked into Derek's office. "Ellen told me to come ahead in." He closed the door behind him.
A Kitchen Affair Page 15
